An Anthology of Modern Irish Poetry

by Wes Davis (Editor)

Never before has there been a single-volume anthology of modern Irish poetry so significant and groundbreaking as An Anthology of Modern Irish Poetry . Collected here is a comprehensive representation of Irish poetic achievement in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, from poets such as Austin Clarke and Samuel Beckett who were writing while Yeats and Joyce were still living; to those who came of age in the turbulent ’60s as sectarian violence escalated, including Seamus Heaney and Michael Longley; to a new generation of Irish writers, represented by such diverse, interesting voices as David Wheatley (born 1970) and Sinéad Morrissey (born 1972). Scholar and editor Wes Davis has chosen work by more than fifty leading modern and contemporary Irish poets. Each poet is represented by a generous number of poems (there are nearly 800 poems in the anthology). The editor’s selection includes work by world-renowned poets, including a couple of Nobel Prize winners, as well as work by poets whose careers may be less well known to the general public; by poets writing in English; and by several working in the Irish language (Gaelic selections appear in translation). Accompanying the selections are a general introduction that provides a historical overview, informative short essays on each poet, and helpful notes—all prepared by the editor.

Genres: Poetry, Irish Literature, Anthologies, Ireland

1024 pages, Hardcover

First published March 17, 2010

Reviews

[Kate♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.25/5stars

I’m sorry I just don’t get or enjoy poetry

[Rosanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Promising anthology with an overall of 50 Irish poets. However, only 9 over those 50 are Irish women poets, which is kind of disappointing for an anthology published in 2011...

[Zee · Rating 5 out of 5]

During the pandemic I set about to read poetry every Friday morning. This anthology has spent a year filling my heart in bleak times. The journey is done, every poem read. What a time it's been.

[Scott Pomfret · Rating 5 out of 5]

This morning I finished the book longest on my "in progress" list: an anthology of modern Irish poetry (Wes Davis, editor). For four years, I have been nibbling and sampling this heavy brick-ish tome, and it has been an unceasing, if uneven, source of delight and discovery. It's hard to count the number of "new favorite poets" I discovered -- and branched out and bought more of the work of each. Perhaps most interesting is the arc of Irish poetry depicted here, which itself makes a long discursive poem tracing various concerns in multiple styles and moods: fairies, foreigners, the sea, lament, love illicit and otherwise, peace, terror. As the ultimate (meaning youngest in this volume, which is organized chronologically by the date of the poet's birth) poet wrote, a common theme throughout is the Irish soul with its "off-beat headstrong suicidal charm."

Travel/exile is a constant theme here; some of the younger poets (but not all) seem to lose anything distinctively Irish in their poetry. The sense of terroir is lost in a heady internationalism. Some of Davis's selections seem less inspired; they seem out of place among more distinctive neighbors.

But for all that this collection is a worthy and warranted investment of time and patience. After four years I still wish there was more left to read.

[Leif · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps the best anthology of Irish verse I can think of – with some stiff competition, I should add.

[Lauren DeFelice · Rating 4 out of 5]

great anthology collection that guided our class and gave me a great background on irish poets!! seamus heaney my beloved… my introduction to you changed my life i fear

[skylar lokota]

rtc

[Luke]

This is an excellent anthology, and I enjoy dipping into it.

[Evangeline]

what a wild ride.

my favorite part was the poem that dissected the anatomy of grief and death, and then the very next poem was about a snail in its prime. lol what a great time.

loved it.